June 1

Today we all had a bunch of different activities going on. Essentially it was a free day during which we were able to do what we wanted with our time. We only had a few assignments for the day: (1) We had to visit the Adelaide Central Market and compare it to a grocery store, and (2) we had to puck up supplies for out taco potluck dinner and start cooking by 5:00 p.m.

Also, there was a group who went with Flick, our awesome tour guide and bus driver, to the Dolphin Sanctuary in Port Adelaide to go kayaking. Fortunately it was finally a nice day, and they all had a great time and got to see some dolphins up close and personal. Almost everyone managed to make it out of there dry except for one person. I won’t name any names but….John managed to be the only one to flip his kayak which was the first time their tour guide had seen that happen on his tour. While all they all had to be up bright and early for kayaking the rest of us were able to sleep in and explore the city as we pleased.

If we had not visited the market earlier in the week, we had to do it today. Central Market was definitely a very interesting place. It was much bigger than we expected and had a huge variety of foods. It was amazing how the minute you entered it felt like you were in a whole different world. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, bustling but not stressful. The air was filled with a sweet earthy smell mixed with coffee and fresh-baked goods from the market cafes. Stands after stands were piled high with brightly colored fruits and vegetables. The shops ranged from chocolates and candies to Wild Oz’s unusual meats. Each shop or stand you stopped at you couldn’t help but want to buy something because it all looked so amazing and fresh.

As we walked through it was plain to see that the market was very much focused on promoting primarily seasonal fresh foods. One of our students has asked for rambutan and lychee but was unable to find them because they were out of season. Another thing that we noticed was that most of the food was locally grown. Local foods were greatly stressed which is very appealing to consumers because of the benefit buying locally has on a community. Markets such as this is a great way to be economically sustainable. It keeps the money with in the community and helps to promote growth.

Another trend we noticed throughout the market was the uniqueness in the variety of foods they had. there was a definite trend in asian foods, especially sushi and asian fruits and vegetables. This trend is most likely due to Australia’s geographic location and closeness to Asia. Location of the market within the city also plays a role in its qualities. Being fairly centrally located within the city makes it very convenient for people to access fresh food which play a huge role in is appeal because most people don’t eat a lot of fresh food because they just don’t have convenient access to it.

Not only is it convenientt because of its location but it also appeals to people of all income levels. The food is reasonably priced and in some cases cheaper than what you would find in the supermarket because it is a local produce so there is no extra price for shipping costs. The market in general has a lot of unique qualities you would not find in a supermarket. Most of the people who shopped there were buying in small amounts so they could keep their things fresh. Also many of them carried reusable bags to carry their items in, reducing the amount of waste produce from shopping.

Overall the best thing we noticed about the market was the overall atmosphere. One thing that we were all able to agree on was that we wished we had something more like this back in the States. Shopping at a supermarket just does not compare. The cold tile floor and white walls with florescent lights and row after row of processed packaged foods seems almost depressing compared to the colorful fresh atmosphere of the Central Market. Being able to interact with the farmers and shop keepers makes your shopping much more personal and enjoyable. shopping should be an experience not a chore and that is what the market provides. there is always something new and you can always count on things being fresh. Not to mention it promotes a healthy choice of fresh and seasonal foods and a sustainable local economy.

After our trip to the market and we had all bought our assigned foods for the pot luck we headed back to the Blue Galah to start our preparation for the taco dinner. Out feast consisted of homemade salsa and guacamole, fruit salad and dip, ground beef tacos and spanish rice with all the necessary toppings. Cooking for twenty-three is quite a task in a small kitchen. Fortunately with our remarkable ingenuity we were able to prepare nine pounds of ground beef for our tacos along with out delicious homemade sides for an amazing meal at the Blue Galah. to finish off dinner Luke and Jim prepared a Pavlova topped with golden kiwi, green kiwi and passion fruit. After dinner most of us headed off to fall into a food coma and get a good nights rest before another early morning.

the amazing displays of food

organic shop at the market

some of the girls at the market with the fresh produce

cooking in the Blue Galah

Luke making the pavlova

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Responses

What a rich “life experience” to meet and interact with some Aboriginal people! This will be a valuable educational day, indeed!

The Adelaide Central Market sounds delightful. How many days during the week is the market open? And how long time wise is the market open (hours of operation)?
Do you know how far away the farmers come to market and are they only suppose to sell what they grow? Do people buy small amounts and return frequently to the market for the week? Yes, it is really a social event meeting your local farmer and neighboors.

The Central Market was really great to visit. Like Michelle said, it had a great atmosphere and it was fun to walk around even if we didn’t plan to buy anything. The Market is open everyday except Sunday and Monday and operates between 7am-530pm on tuesday, 9-530pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 6am to 9pm on fridays, and 7am to 3pm on Saturdays. Yes, unlike in the Unites States where it is common to buy food supplies for the month ahead, Australians tend to buy food just for the upcoming week and might stop in the market several times a week.
Buying fresh seems to be preferred by those people going to the Market. It also provides a sustainable means of shopping because many can walk to the Market with their own carts and bags, buy food with little to no packaging and go home to cook a home cooked meal.

The Central Market in Adelaide is unlike anything we have ever been to! It is full of vendors selling all kinds of fruit. The vendors don’t grow everything that they sell but everything is clearly labeled with its point of origin from somewhere in Australia. Many Australians we have found are really big in to promoting locally grown food because they live on an island continent. They also had several unique and tropical fruits that one doesn’t find in the United States. The vendors also have more permanent structures and displays since it is open five days a week. Many cafes and small restaurants are included around the market so it becomes a huge social event for locals. It was definitely an awesome experience!

I thought it was incredibly intersesting how the market promoted a sense of community in Adelaide. It would be easy to get lost in a big city and keep to yourself but the Central market encouraged local people to come into contact with their neighbors in a comfortable and lively environment as Michelle mentioned. In the U.S. we seem to lack such an established institution in our large cities and the friendly community witnessed in the Central Market is also missing. I think it would be beneficial to promote our local farmers markets and local foods not only to decrease food miles and help with environmental sustainablility, but also to promote community and help with social sustainability.

The Adelaide Central Market reminds me of the Eastern Market in Detroit Michigan. My wife and I enjoy our trips there for plants, cheese and wine.
Do you remember the prices of some of the fruits an vegetables?
Did the market attract peoples of many nationalities?
Did the vendors seem to compete in price?
Do people bring their pet dogs to the market?

Yeah when we went there it reminded me of Eastern Market as well. The answer to all of your questions is yes. Various vendors would yell out the prices of the produce and if I remember correctly 4 bananas would sell for anywhere between 1 to 2 Australian dollars in the market and for about a dollar a piece in the supermarket next door.
It was interesting because in the Market, vendors competed by yelling prices and facts about their products but in the grocery store, products were competing with one another through only labels. Having the face to face interaction with a farmer gave me a better sense of what I was buying and where it came from.

People from all sorts of different nationalities seemed to frequent the market and sell goods in the market with some shops selling goods related to a specific culture. People who wanted to sell their goods were able to do it in many different ways. For instance, a farmer could sell his or her produce at a stand and a baker could sell his or her goods at a small bakery shop in the same area.

I did actually see two dogs while I was in the market and it reminded me of Bentley.

I thought the market was definitely cool. It was different to see such a large market with little cafes on the side to sit and eat lunch while you were there. It gave a real sense of place and community, making it an easy place to shop for local groceries.
Also, the kayaking was awesome. We saw at least 4 dolphins, who came up right behind or in front of us to get a breathe. It was truly amazing to be so close to such an spectacular creature with a great story.

The market was so awesome. I know that if I lived in Adelaide that is where I would do my shopping rather than a grocery store. All of the shopkeepers I talked to were really friendly, and it made me want to buy their products because I know that I would be helping farmers around the area. I also really liked all the reusable bags. I now have my own pink one and I can’t wait to use it when I go grocery shopping at home! 🙂